


Walking Parallel to You

by erika9899



Category: Original Work
Genre: Bullying, Elemental Magic, Fantasy, Female Knight, Hydra, Magic-Users, Male-Female Friendship, Necromancy, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Other, POV Female Character, POV Male Character, Slavery, dyn - Freeform, knight training, page
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:40:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25742221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erika9899/pseuds/erika9899
Summary: Original Work-Sold into slavery with no memory of her past, a young girl strives to survive her harsh new life while trying to solve the biggest mystery before her; why she was branded as a male slave. Her humanity & tenacity wins her the chance to become a knight of Aelburn. However, life within the palace walls holds dangers as she battles discrimination as a former slave and potential discovery as a female in disguise.The land of Drora, north of the kingdom of Aelburn, has been in constant chaos under Aelburnian occupation. Ten-year-old Ewan finds himself alone in hostile territory after separating from Dae, his guardian, during an enemy ambush. Ewan is plagued with the guilt of Dae's supposed death and finds himself with a choice to make. Will he fall into darkness on his quest for revenge or will he find within himself the same compassion Dae had when she rescued him long ago?Thrown into a world of elemental power users, necromancers & beasts created from human darkness, Dae & Ewan find themselves faced with choices that will defy who they are and what they will become. They unknowingly walk parallel to each other, so when they finally meet at a cross path, will they really be the same?
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s)





	Walking Parallel to You

“Ewan! Ewan, where are you?”

Ewan heard Dae’s voice over the screaming and shouting, but he could not seem to muster the strength to call out to her. He was frozen beneath a nearby tree as he watched the once quiet camp burst into chaos and flame. Ewan had never truly witnessed the destructive power of a fire dyn wielder, but one demonstration was enough. He felt his feet anchored, cowering behind the tree as if he were a new sapling with his roots buried deep into the ground. 

Ewan felt the heat from the flames as more tents were set aflame, but it was the uneasy feeling of something behind him that turned his blood cold. He looked behind him into the darkness, the forest was still. Then he heard it. Somewhere in the distance, a twig snapped as a fallen branch was brushed aside. Then nothing. Ewan let out the breath he did not realize he was holding in, relieved it was nothing but his imagination. As he turned back to face the camp again a low growl slipped through the trees. Ewan felt it more than he heard it, but it was definitely there. And it was coming closer. From the corner of his eye, he saw a pair of eyes, gleaming yellow in the light of the fire. 

He did not make it more than a few yards out of the cover of the forest before blindly crashing over something and tumbling to the ground. He was slow to recover, as the warm slickness of something on the ground made it hard for him to regain his footing. He could tell even before his eyes adjusted to the night, but the shock of the dead soldier beneath him was too much for him to bear. He screamed as he tried to untangle himself with the mangled body. He scrambling in the near dark as he wiped his bangs out of his eyes, realizing in horror that he was smearing the blood across his face, the iron taste stinging his tongue.

His panicked screams were cut short when a hand snatched his collar and threw him off the dead Drorian soldier. Even in the yellow glow of the fire enveloping around them, Ewan could make out the soft, golden glow of a Drorians’ eyes. The man pulled him up off the ground, easily lifting him into the air. The Drorian sneered at him, lifting the dagger in his other hand up to Ewan’s throat. Ewan closed his eyes, but underneath his eyelids, he was still haunted by the glow of the mans’ frenzied eyes as the dagger was being pressed softly into his skin.

His eyes snapped back open at the sound of gasps and strained breathing. He looked down, horrified at the sword point that had passes cleaning through his assailant’s chest and now poking harmlessly at his own stomach. The sword slid back through, leaving Ewan to stumble backwards unto the ground as the large man in front of him collapsed in a giant heap, now still. 

Arms flew around Ewan, burying his face in the nook of the person’s arm. He struggled against the iron hold keeping him in place till he recognized the soothing warmth of Dae’s dyn flowing into his body and felt his body slowly relax under the dyn’s reassuring feel. The embrace was cut short as Dae grabbed his hand and started racing through what remained of their camp.

Most of the men let them pass without a second glance. Some were still throwing on boots, woken from their sleep by shouting and smoke filling the air. The hundred or so men that made up Dae’s company were now scrambling in the chaos, most of them drawing their weapons trying to figure where the enemy attack had come from. One or two of the Drorian soldiers spotted their captain and called out, but Dae kept plowing through the camp, her grip on Ewan’s hand never loosening for a second.

They slowed as they broke through the other end of the camp, this was probably the only thing that saved them as a wall of flames burst forth from thin air before them. Dae made a swift stroke with her blade at the flames. Ewan, petrified in place behind Dae, watched in awe as the flames dampened and ultimately vanished, leaving only scorch marks on the ground. The air now filled with cool water droplets, fixed in midair by Dae’s dyn.

A man stood only a few yards away from them, in between them and the safety of the forest behind him. Smoke was still rising from inside his half-burnt hand, the entirety of his sleeve was burned away and what remained of the right half of his clothes was still smoldering. The smell of his burnt flesh lingering in the air between them. Even after losing control of his dyn, he held his sword steady in his right hand, eyeing the blade Dae held up defensively.

“Where do you think you’re going traitor?” he snarled at them. He approached them, cautious of the water still fixed in the air, his sword pointed at Dae accusingly.

“As your captain,” Dae shouted, “I command you to put down your sword soldier.” The man, however, continued to shorten the length between them. Dae’s grip on Ewan grew stronger with every step the man took, soon the pain brought stinging tears to his eyes.

“I saw you. I saw you cut him down,” his voice low and ominous, like subdued thunder.

“Warek drew his blade first, I only—”

“Enough!” The soldier closed the distance between them to only a few feet, flames sprung forth, covering his entire forearm as he swung his sword high up, releasing the growing fire from his arm towards them as he did so. He flew after the fire with the full force of his sword brought down towards Dae’s neck. 

Ewan’s view of the flames approaching them was instantly blocked as a column of ice materialized out of thin air. The ice blocked the main force of the assault, allowing the outer flames to fly past Dae’s ice guard, only faintly warming the side of Ewan’s cheek. Dae’s hand slipped from his as she twirled around the ice wall slipping behind the soldier. She brought the blade in her right hand in front as defense as she drew a dagger in her left. Without hesitation, she slashed up with ease across the man’s throat. 

The man’s arm shot up to his neck in surprise. His hand, now nothing more than burnt flesh and bones, fumbled to remove the dagger. But with a swift yank, Dae freed the blade and the man lurched forward, after a few moments of strained gurgling there was silence. 

Ewan hesitantly left the protection of the ice pillar, still wary of the dead body that moments ago was throwing fire at them. Dae stood above the soldier, his body now slumped over, supported only by the ice wall before him as his warm blood pooled onto the glossy surface. Dae flicked her wrist, letting the blood on her dagger color the grass while at the same time releasing her ice. The wall splashed to the ground as water, letting the sword that was stuck in the ice above clank to the ground next to its fallen owner.

“Are you hurt?” her breath letting out icy air as she knelt in front of Ewan. Surprisingly enough, Dae’s dyn maintained its ever so welcoming warmth. Ewan felt himself yearn to be cradled in her arms drifting to sleep, enveloped in Dae’s calming embrace as he had so many nights before.

“Ewan, talk to me,” Dae shook him, drawing him back to the present, “are you alright?”

“You killed him…” his voice soft, grasping the full severity of the situation.

Dae’s face darkened, Ewan could see the guilt and hurt in her eyes. He felt himself choke up, ashamed he had accused her of only doing what she could to protect him.

The sounds of screams and clanking weapons drew their attention back to the camp. The fire now well on its way, greedily started consuming the forest. The swaying and twisting light of the flames revealed a swarm of men as they broke through the cover of the trees. Drorian soldiers were already assembling against the newly arrived enemy. The shouts and orders were indistinguishable from afar, but in the yellow glow of the fire, the newcomers’ helmets and battleaxes were unmistakable.

“Welvish warriors.” Daes’ eyes were now fixed on the surprise attack on her camp, her hand fumbling to close around Ewan’s closed fist. She turned towards him, her other hand now cupped Ewan’s cheek, bringing his eyes level with hers. “Listen to me. We’re soon going to be overrun here,” the evenness of her voice sent shivers down his spine. “I can hold them back, but I need to know that you’ll be safe.”

She grabbed her dagger she had left at her side and now cleaned the blood against her sleeve. Satisfied, she untied the sheath from her belt and slide the dagger in. “Take my dagger, okay? I taught you how to use it, right?” She grabbed his hand and placed the dagger in his open palm.

Ewan had always admired the small, dark steeled blade she kept on her hips, always begging to hold and throw it at tree trunks. But now, it looked giant in his small palm. The weight of the hilt he once so easily swung now felt too heavy to even wrap his fingers around.

“Right?” her voice was stern this time, she placed her hand underneath his and wrapped his hand tightly against the sheath, gently guiding it towards his chest.

Ewan slowly nodded in recognition. His nod must not have been assuring enough though, as Dae tried to mimic his nod more enthusiastically, letting a half-smile touch her lips that never quite reached her eyes.

“Ewan, I need you to head down the mountain okay? Run as fast as you can till you hit the stream, then find a place to hide. I’ll come find you, okay?” Dae slipped her hand out of Ewan’s grasp and at that moment, he felt the entirety of his world slip from his fingers.

“Dae.”

“I’ll find you, I promise.” This time, her smile was warm and loving. The same smile Ewan had seen so many times before. “I promise. Now run. Run!”  
Ewan stumbled back and started his way to the trees. He took one last glance back, but Dae had already turned away, making her way back to where the incoming Welvish and Drorian men were fighting. The flames from the camp burned vividly against the dark of the night, yellow and orange rays of light flickered and danced against the two swords drawn in Daes’ hands.

So beautiful.

Ewan turned and headed down through the forest.


End file.
